Past Lives
by Cosmic Castaway
Summary: John Marston goes looking for Arthur Morgan and finds someone else instead.


Summary: John Marston goes looking for Arthur Morgan and finds someone else instead.

Notes: So I'm actually currently writing a longer story right now. Not sure how I feel about it, but these little one shots still keep coming out of me for some reason. I can't STOP! I'm still not sure how I feel about the story idea I'm messing around with. It's rather dark…actually one of the darkest I've ever written so will see lol if it even sees the light of day. **SPOILERS** still if you have not completed the game. If you see any mistakes, sorry tried to find them but you know how it is correcting your own shit kind of hard to see it lol. I do not own anything. Also, this is AU of course because it goes away from the original storyline but I don't think anyone will mind if I do.

Anyways, onto the story.

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John Marston slowed his horse down to a trot as he reached the dirt road leading up to the small structure. The house sat perfectly on top of a beautiful hill with a lake off in the distance and the mountains looming over the water, it truly made an awe inspiring gorgeous backdrop. It was a peaceful place to settle down and get lost if one needed to be. Away from the hustle and bustle of Saint Denis or the gloominess of Annesburg it was a nice place to raise a family and be at peace with life. The location was not the reason for his visit though, it was the person that was occupying the house was the reason he was here. He was searching for someone from his past and not entirely sure how he was going to be received when he pounded on the door. He hitched his horse to the post and gave it a gentle pat. As he walked up the steps he took a deep breath. He then knocked on the door. He could hear somebody shuffling towards the entrance before he heard the wooden door being opened but only just to peak out and see who was.

"Yes, what do you want?" A woman's voice spoke though the crack of the door with sternness and no fear in her voice.

"Ma'am…you may not know me.," here goes nothing "I ran with Arthur."

The immediate response was the door slamming in his face. Much better reaction then he anticipated though, he had expected a shotgun in his face so all in all he felt like this was a good start. He knocked on the door again. "Please Ma'am, I need to speak to him it's urgent. I mean you no harm."

For whatever reason the person who slammed the door in his face reopened it up and allowed John to see who had abruptly closed the door on him. A very pregnant beautiful woman with flowing jet black hair stood looking rather angry that he was even on her porch to begin with.

"Arthur died, few months ago. What do you want? I have nothing…"

"Please, can we…can I come in for a second?"

John could see the woman was looking him up and down. Looking right at the gun on his hip to the way he was dressed. She was judging him. Deciding if he was going to pose a threat against her and the child she was bearing. For whatever reason though, she opened the door for John to come in. Once he entered she shut the door behind him.

"I'd offer you something to drink and maybe a seat but quite frankly I do not want you here. So, speak your peace and be gone." The woman's arms crossed over her body in a defensive posture. She did not trust him at all and she had no issues showing it to him.

John could see why Arthur had fallen for this woman. She was not only beautiful to look at but was quick with the tongue. Arthur in his prime was probably one of the quickest when it came to quips and jabs and quite frankly could be ruthless when he wanted to be, he never held back for no one or anything. So, the woman Arthur settled down with had to be just as good if not better. Though somewhere in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think maybe he allowed her to win, because nobody could beat him at that game.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. Just….," now that he was in the house he found that he didn't know what to say. His words were gone. He truly lost the words he was going to speak in the first place. He had planned everything out in his head as he rode to the house that he believed belonged to Arthur Morgan. Every scenario playing in his head from him hugging his long-lost brother to punching him in the face. Not once did he come up with Arthur dead and him standing there trying to take in the fact that Arthur was never coming back. That John never truly got to say goodbye to the man that had saved him and his family. Now what? What was he supposed to do now?

"First off, what is your name?" The woman asking, pulling John from his train of thought.

"John…," the woman giving him a look as though she did not recognize the name until he said his last name, "Marston, John Marston." Her facial features changed instantly, and John knew right then and there she recognized his name.

"Arthur spoke about you a lot actually. You, Charles, and Hosea was mostly the ones he brought up when he did talk about his past, few others I can't think of their name right now but no your two names always came up," her eyes looking off as though a faint memory was hitting her mind at that moment as she spoke. She turned back at him and uncrossed her arms.

"Where are my manners then, Mrs. Mary Morgan."

John smiled. So, Arthur finally married her. He always said she was the greatest love of his life. Even though he rarely spoke about her. Guess having to be part from her was too hard to talk about so like everything else Arthur kept it very well guarded. Only reason John found out about Mary was the time Arthur was grievously injured and worried he wouldn't get to tell Mary how he felt. When Arthur recovered from his injury after months of recuperation, and John tried bringing Mary up to Arthur wanting to know more information on this mysterious woman that had captured Arthur Morgan's heart, Arthur brushed John off in his usual grumpy fashion. When John pressed again, Arthur played dumb or told him to leave it alone, and with Arthur Morgan you never got much of a warning before you found your ass on the ground for pushing too hard on a subject he told you to leave alone in the first place.

"If you don't mind me asking…what did….how." Not sure how to bring up such a melancholy topic but John had to know.

"Tuberculosis. He said he deserved it after what he put people through. Whether he believed it or not, he was a good man who did not deserve that fate," the images flashing before Mary's mind in quick session, him coughing into his hand and blood being found, to him trying to hide it, to losing weight and withering away right in front of her to even his last breath he ever took. It was too much to bare, "I miss him so much." Her eyes started to shine, she quickly turned her face so not to show she was starting to tear up in front of a man she did not even know. "I'm sorry, now may I ask, why did you come here looking for him?"

"I uhh," clearing his throat John found it hard to speak now, still trying to get over the initial shock of Arthur Morgan dying of tuberculosis. To have a man that was bigger than life itself go out in a slow agonizing death, it just was not a death he would have chosen for Arthur. No he deserved more. "I needed his help with something but…I'll figure it out. For what it's worth, I'm glad he found happiness with you. I'm truly sorry to have disturb you Ma'am. Please let me know if you need anything." His eyes traveling down to her belly which instinctively she put her hand over it to protect the unborn child. It was not that she didn't trust John Marston and thought he would try and do something. It was just complete and utter maternal instinct for her when it came to the child that was growing in her womb. The unborn child that she had yet to meet was the last bit of Arthur Morgan she had left, and she would be damned if did not do anything and everything in her power to protect their child.

"Thank you, John, and for what it's worth to you, he loved you all so very much. He thought of you as a brother. He wouldn't talk about it very much, as you know Arthur was a man of many secrets, but he said running with you and the gang was one of the best times of his life."

"Thank you, Ma'am, that truly does mean a lot to me." Feeling there was nothing else to be said between them he turned and walked out of the house. He closed the door behind him and walked to his horse. As he swung himself up into the saddle and settled in for the long journey John gave a soft kick to his horse sending it into a trot he made a promise to himself right then and there. Whatever the outcome with Agent Ross and the Pinkertons he would see to it that Arthur's kid and wife was taken care of. He would be damned if he didn't protect them like he would his own family. Arthur was no longer there to safeguard them but if it was the last thing John Marston did he was going to be there for them for his friend, no, correction his brother.

 **The End**

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End Notes: Before you say it, it was possible for Mary not to receive TB. Just look at the wife and son of Thomas Downes, looking up the disease some people were immune to it. Also, I think Arthur deserved a little happiness even if it was for a short time. I know I had a few ask for a nice story with Arthur being happy. Probably not what you were looking for but hey the muse gets her way. I also like to think John survived the attack from Agent Ross and was able to protect Arthur's baby. Look, it's my story and that's what I want! Anyways love to hear from you if you love it, hate it whatever just be nice to hear from you. Danke'


End file.
